by Lori Wick
"I don't know," Roddy spoke contemplatively. "If you could
have seen his face when he bent over her on the grass..." He
let the thought hang.
They sat silently for a moment in Lucinda's small parlor
J until Roddy suddenly leaned forward and kissed Lucinda
lingeringly on the lips. Her eyes were quite round when he
pulled away.
Roddy had always been affectionate with her and a kiss
, from him was not all that unusual, but in the past few weeks
^ he'd kissed her nearly every chance he had. The kisses were a
' good deal more personal than they'd ever been before. And
when he wasn't kissing her, he was holding her hand or
placing his arm about her waist.
"You're doing quite a lot of that lately." Lucinda couldn't
resist commenting about the kiss. To her surprise, Roddy
looked pleased that she'd noticed. His smile was almost smug.
"Any objections?" Roddy's voice was far warmer than she
was used to hearing it.
"No," Lucinda said, and suddenly felt herself blushing like
a girl.
"Did I cause that flush?" Roddy's grin nearly left his face.
Lucinda could only stare at him. "What has come over you,
Roddy?"
76
She was more confused than ever when he only kissed her
again and sat back in contentment. She watched him reach for
the newspaper he'd been enjoying and settle down to read He
obviously wasn't going to answer her.
Lucinda might have run from the room if he had. Roddy
Caruthers, who had been in love with Lucinda Warbrook for
years, was now amid his plan of attack to win the lovely lady's
hand.
It wasn't that he doubted Stacy's words about Lucinda's
loving him; it was just that he wanted to take no chances of
losing her. He was no longer afraid of rejection, but of not
being taken seriously. They had been friends for so long that if
he suddenly declared himself, she might not believe him
sincere. Such an action would also cause her to question the
change in him after so many years. He knew he would be
honest with her, and in so doing might lead her to believe that
Stacy had somehow betrayed her trust.
So with his usual level head, Roddy decided to bide his
time. He'd waited many years; a few more months wouldn't
matter. He'd be alongside Lucinda as she saw Stacy safely
married; then it would be his turn.
He could still feel Lucinda's eyes on him at the moment,
and indeed, was about to take pity on her and explain, but
Craig entered quietly to tell Lucinda that Lord Richardson had
arrived.
Lucinda's brows rose. She thought they would not see him
until the next day when the papers announced the engagement,
but perhaps he had come about something other than
his engagement. Lucinda nearly laughed at her own thoughts
when she saw Tanner's face. There was no doubt that he was
here to see Stacy.
"Hello, Tanner," Lucinda greeted him as Roddy stood and
the two shook hands. "Please, sit down."
"Thank you, Lucinda," Tanner responded but remained
standing, "but I'd really like to see Stacy." Tanner had to bite
back the word "alone."
77
He stood erect and waited for Lucinda's response. At the
lent he was tense enough to force his way into Stacy's
if and Lucinda was obviously aware of this fact. Her voice
very gentle when she answered him.
"She's in the garden, Tanner. When you're done, maybe
I'd both like to come in and join us in the large salon for
r
Tanner accepted with a nod of his head and moved toward
i door. Lucinda and Roddy exchanged a glance after he left,
it neither of them spoke.
Stacy pushed herself from the grassy turf and stood look-I
Ing down at her progress Aunt Lucinda had a gardener, but his
| kills among the English daisies were lacking. They were a
small flower and took careful weeding. Stacy could under- pounds Stand why he didn't care to bother, but she loved the work.
She dusted her dirty hands together and had just wiped
the moisture from her upper lip when she looked up to see
I Tanner approaching. With a quick glance at her filthy hands,
she put them behind her back.
"Hello." Tanner's bass voice ran over Stacy's nerves as he
stopped some five feet away and greeted her, his eyes serious.
"Hello." Stacy's own voice was breathless. She was thrilled
to see him but knew she must look a mess.
Tanner's eyes moved over her, taking in the dirt smears on
the front of her dress, her hair falling from its chignon, the
hands held carefully behind her back, and finally the smear of
mud above her upper lip.
"What are you hiding behind you?" he asked as he moved
to a nearby bench and made himself comfortable. Stacy
watched his legs, clad in knee-high black boots and gray
riding trousers, stretch out seemingly for miles before she
looked back to his face. His brows were raised in expectation,
and Stacy remembered that he'd asked her a question.
78
"Just my hands," she answered honestly.
Tanner looked skeptical. "You're sure?"|
"Yes," Stacy said, beginning to feel rather silly. With her]
hands still out of sight, she moved to the opposite bench, |
carefully tucking her hands under the folds of her skirt as she;
sat down.
As surreptitiously as she made the move, Tanner didn't
miss a thing. He'd told himself if he could only see her, he
would feel better, and in fact he was growing more relaxed
with every passing second. She was the most restful woman
he had ever known.
"How are you, Tanner?" Stacy's sweet voice broke into his
musings.
"I'm doing fine."
"Are you really?" Stacy's voice seemed to lift with pleasure.
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
Color leapt into her cheeks as she admitted softly, "I
thought you might have come to tell me you changed your
mind"
Tanner found it very disconcerting to be read so easily. It
caused him to realize just how little he really knew this
woman. She was soft-spoken, graceful, and very trusting, but
beyond those qualities, Tanner was at a loss.
It became suddenly clear to him that he was going to
marry this woman. He knew that more doubts would surface
as the days went on, but he was going to marry Stacy Daniels.
"I haven't changed my mind," Tanner told her seriously,
and Stacy had to look away from the intensity in his eyes. She
cast about for something to say and only looked at him when
she was ready to speak.
"Did you see Lucinda and Roddy? They're inside." Stacy
knew she sounded inane, but he was still watching her so
intently that she began to feel very unsettled.
"Yes." Tanner's scrutiny eased some. "They're expecting
us later for tea."
79
could only nod, glad she was alone with him but not
what to say.
len is your birthday, Stacy
?" Tanner asked suddenly.
"Not until October."
?*And you'll be--?"
"Twenty-two," Stacy supplied nervously. "That's rather
isn't it?"
"Not in the least," Tanner told her emphatically, feeling
Ite glad that she wasn't a starry-eyed teen.
"When is your birthday?"
"Next May. I'll be 29." Tanner hesitated before a warm
rkle lit his eyes. "Rather old, isn't it?"
Stacy laughed, and Tanner found he liked the sound. Spot
a newspaper by her side then, he noticed at the same time
it she was still hiding her hands.
"What have you been reading?" Tanner asked, gesturing
rard the paper. "The London Times. I just finished an article about Nanking."
"Nanking?" Tanner questioned her. He had read the same
paper and not seen the feature.
"Well, yes," Stacy said hesitantly, wondering if he'd be
bored if she shared. But he had that expectant, almost impatient
look she was coming to recognize. She hurried to
explain.
"Nanking, China, is a city that sits on the Yangtze River. The article says that an army of 500,000, composed entirely of women--" Stacy was now warming to her subject--"and led by female officers, was formed in Nanking during a rebellion."
Stacy stopped when she realized her hands had come out
of hiding to gesture as she spoke. She quickly hid them and
shrugged apologetically. "I just found it rather interesting."
Tanner did not reply but sat staring at her as if seeing her
for the first time. Stacy felt like a fool. She stood awkwardly.
"If Aunt Lucinda is expecting us for tea, I'd best go freshen
up."
80
With surprising agility for a man his size, Tanner stood,]
moving silently to block her path. He reached his long arms'
around her and gently brought forth the hands she'd hidden
once again to hold them within his own.
He examined the dirt under her nails and on her palms
and then looked to find her standing still with mortification.
She was staring no higher than his shirtfront.
"You were weeding?"
Stacy nodded, utterly humiliated. She was engaged to a
duke, and here she was digging in the dirt like a child at play.
What must Tanner think?
"You did a nice job," Tanner told her as though she'd asked
the question out loud Still, she wouldn't look at him.
"Look at me, Anastasia," he commanded, and Stacy felt
helpless to resist. Tanner spoke when her eyes met his.
"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetheart. If
you enjoy gardens, then you're going to love Winslow."
"Winslow?"
"My home in the country."
Stacy never thought of his living anywhere but London.
She was still taking this in when she questioned him about the
dirt.
"And you really don't mind my working in the garden?"
"Not in the least."
Stacy's sigh was of such relief that Tanner smiled.
"I even like you with dirt on your upper lip."
This time Stacy didn't sigh with relief. Her eyes widened in
horror. Tanner only laughed as he gazed into those huge, blue
orbs.
Gf
Q/en/
when the letter arrived from Stacy's grandfather, it was
ptrly enough to put her in tears. He would not be at tier
Iding. Andrew explained very gently that he couldn't have
;n happier for her, but his eyesight was so unpredictable r that he feared embarrassing her by falling in the aisle or
ic equally foolish act.
If Stacy could have talked with him and heard this in
>n, she might have felt better, but reading of his decision
ie her feel helpless with grief. She debated going home to
...sit until the wedding day, but Lucinda talked her out of it,
^explaining that with fittings for her trousseau and dozens of
Other tasks, she was needed in London.
, . To top it off, a letter from Elena came the same day. She ^as expecting again, and Noel did not want her making the
$ long trip in such warm weather. The double blow was devastating
to Stacy.
She sat in the window seat of the upstairs salon, completely
awash with heartache. Tanner had come to the door,
not entering, but simply enjoying the way the sunlight played
on her golden hair. Stacy didn't notice his presence.
When she finally heard his footsteps on the carpet, she
turned. Hurting over the news from home, it was the first time
she didn't feel delighted at seeing him. This was especially
82
surprising since Tanner had just been away for a few days. He
noticed the change in her immediately and tensed over what
she might say. It didn't occur to him until he saw the letters in
her lap that her reaction might not have anything to do with
him.
With Stacy curled on the window seat there wasn't much
room, but Tanner managed to sit down beside her. With a
glance at the papers in her lap, he spoke.
"Bad news?"
"Yes," Stacy told him in a voice he'd never heard before--
thick, almost husky. Tanner carefully studied her face, noticing
not for the first time that Stacy was not prone to tears.
"My grandfather can't make the wedding."
"Not enough notice?"
"No, that's not it. His eyesight is failing so badly and--"
Stacy cut off, swallowing hard. "Would you like to read the
letter?"
Tanner took it from her outstretched fingers and read
swiftly and silently. His look was very compassionate when he
finished, but Stacy's gaze was directed out the window, her
lovely profile etched in misery.
Tanner noticed the other note in her hand.
"Is there more?" he asked as he returned Andrew's letter.
"Yes. Elena can't come either. She's married to my grandfather's
cousin, Noel, and although Noel is old enough to be
my father, Elena is my age and we're very close."
"Yes, I remember your telling me."
Stacy looked into his wonderful dark brown eyes for just a
moment before turning to the window once again. Tanner
gave her the silence, his mind thoughtful.
"I'm sorry, Tanner," Stacy spoke abruptly, and Tanner
watched her make almost a physical effort to cheer up. "You've
come to visit me, and all I do is sit here and mope. How was
your trip?" She smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach her
eyes.
83
Tanner could have kissed her on the spot. Lucinda had
mentioned to him one day that Stacy usually put the happiness
of others ahead of herself, but this was the first time he'd
actually witnessed it.
"Would you like to go for a walk or a ride?" Stacy asked
when Tanner stayed quiet. She felt a headache coming on and
wondered if the change of scene might do her good.
"I think a ride sounds delightful, but you should write your
letter first."
"My letter?" Stacy asked, wondering what she had missed
"Why to your grandfather, of course, telling him to expect
us a few days after the wedding. We're going to honeymoon in
the Cleveland Hills and spend some time
in Middlesbrough."
"You told me you wanted to honeymoon in the south of
France."
"France will still be there in a year. We'll go for our first
anniversary."
Stacy's hands went to her mouth. Her eyes searched Tanner's
face for signs of teasing but found only caring.
"Oh, Tanner," was all Stacy could say.
He felt her tremble as she laid her cheek against his
shoulder. Never had he known someone for whom it was so
satisfying to give of himself. She never took anything for
granted or lightly. It had taken a gem the size of a bird's egg to
gain that kind of expression from Leslie.
Tanner's heart clenched. Why did Leslie always come to
mind? She and Stacy were not even remotely the same, and yet
since becoming engaged, she haunted his times of peace with
Stacy. He remembered the one who lied and cheated on him at
times when he should have been enjoying the precious woman
at his side.
"Thank you, Tanner." Stacy lifted her head so she could
see his face. "I love you," she whispered, her heart so full she
could hardly breathe.
"You're welcome," he spoke gently, his eyes holding her
own. Stacy thought he might kiss her, but a moment later they
84
85
were joined by Craig, who was there to tell Stacy that Edmond
Black had come to call.
Tanner's uncle was as different from his nephew as any
man could be. Tanner was very tall; Edmond very short. Tanner's
hair was dark with just a touch of gray at the temples.
Edmond's hair was the color of new straw, and even though he
was years older than his nephew, there didn't seem to be a
gray hair in sight. Tanner's frame was very muscular, from his
broad shoulders to the heavy muscles in his legs. Edmond had
a round look about him that could only be described as dough-like.
And this was not where the differences ended. Tanner was
quiet, sometimes broodingly so. His uncle seemed to talk
nonstop and loudly. He wasn't always very discreet about his
subjects either, and several times Stacy noticed a look of near
anger cross her intended's face as his uncle carried on raucously.
Stacy didn't really find him offensive, just boring. In
fact, she had only been half-listening to him for the past
hour, allowing her thoughts to wander to her honeymoon
with Tanner. One sentence from Edmond's mouth, however,
brought Stacy quickly back to earth.
"Been telling him for years that he needed another wife.
